Drinking straws are commonly used by children, invalids and incapacitated individuals as an inducement and an incentive to them to consume nourishing liquids. To this end straws of decorative designs have been employed along with straws of unusually attractive contours so that the user may follow the flow path of the liquid along the length of the straw and be encouraged to use the straw to drink the liquids. In this respect, attention is drawn to the patents to Kamin U.S. Pat. No. Des. 262,176, to Homorodean et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,606,156 and to Dietz et al. 3,425,626.
It is well known that children, invalids, incapacitated persons and others experience difficulty in retaining the straw in the drinking vessel or in holding the straw engaged with the drinking vessel while the straw is being used to withdraw liquid from the vessel. The failure of the straw and the vessel to remain engaged with each other or to remain clipped, clasped, or clamped together during use and manipulation has been a problem that has been treated in many prior art patents as follows:
Shapin--U.S. Pat. No. 103,300 PA1 Howard--U.S. Pat. No. 478,861 PA1 Tanner--U.S. Pat. No. 1,735,144 PA1 Gildersleeve--U.S. Pat. No. 2,063,803 PA1 Strutz et al.--U.S. Pat. No. 2,070,495 PA1 Cornwell--U.S. Pat. No. 2,469,292 PA1 Butsch--U.S. Pat. No. 2,557,411 PA1 Saltzman--U.S. Pat. No. 2,689,149.